1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to an optoelectronic connection device, sometimes known as a transmission head, defined by the association of one or more opto-electronic components, such as light-emitting diodes or photodiodes, with respective optical fibers transmitting the light signal output by or incident upon the opto-electronic component to which it is optically connected.
2. Description of the prior art
In a manner known per se, the opto-electronic components used in the terminating circuits of optical transmission systems are mounted by soldering on a printed circuit board on which are generally also mounted by soldering various passive and active components constituting a hybrid amplification circuit connected electrically to the opto-electronic components. The end of the optical fiber to be optically connected to each opto-electronic component is disposed perpendicular to the sensitive surface of the opto-electronic component and may be attached thereto by bonding using a suitable resin. Independently of such bonding, it is necessary to provide mechanical retention of the end of the optical fiber relative to the opto-electronic component to which it is connected; this mechanical retention of the end of the fiber relative to the opto-electronic component concerned may be effected by disposing the board carrying the terminal circuit in a casing with a cover through which each fiber passes and which is equipped with means for retaining each fiber at the point where it passes through the cover.
This optical connection technique requires equipment at each aperture in the cover corresponding to each respective opto-electronic component and as a result of this the final stage in the implementation of terminal circuits is time-consuming and costly.
A principal object of the present invention is to avoid these disadvantages, to facilitate the optical connection between an opto-electronic component and its fiber, and to provide an optical connection which is mechanically robust while involving no risk of damage while being made or released.